NFPA's standard for fire prevention during welding, cutting

1
Hot Work Training

• Environmental Health and Safety

2
Agenda

• Importance of fire prevention during hot work
  operations
• Regulatory background
• OSHAs welding, cutting, and brazing standard
• NFPAs standard for fire prevention during
  welding, cutting, and other hot work
• BGSUs written Hot Work Program
• Implementation assistance

3
Importance of Fire Prevention During Hot Work
Operations

• Hot Work is any work involving burning, welding,
  or similar operations that are capable of
  initiating fires or explosions. This program
  shall cover the following hot work processes
• Welding and Allied Processes
• Heat Treating
• Grinding
• Thawing Pipe
• Powder-Driven Fasteners
• Hot Riveting
• Similar Applications Producing a Spark, Flame or
  Heat

4
Importance of Fire Prevention During Hot Work
Operations

• May, 2001
• University of Kentucky
• A building that housed the university president
  and other offices was destroyed by a fire that
  apparently was started by welding on the roof.
  The building, which had been constructed in 1882,
  was undergoing a 1.3 million renovation.

5
Importance of Fire Prevention During Hot Work
Operations

• April, 2003
• University of Florida
• Sparks from welding equipment caused a fire that
  forced the evacuation of several hundred people
  at the J. Hillis Miller Science Center. The fire
  started while a worker was repairing the
  ventilation system. Two people complained of
  smoke inhalation and all the research animals
  were exposed to the smoke.

6
Importance of Fire Prevention During Hot Work
Operations

• June, 2003
• St. Johns University
• An electrical worker was burned when a fire
  broke out in the basement of a dormitory. The
  electrical worker was installing equipment to
  improve cell-phone reception. Two workers were
  standing side by side using handheld tools that
  emitted sparks. Sparks from the tools fell into
  a bucket containing glue, creating the fire.

7
Importance of Fire Prevention During Hot Work
Operations

• June, 2003
• Arizona State University
• A dorm that was under construction erupted into
  fire when a spark from a welding torch started
  the fire. The dormitory was completely
  destroyed. Fortunately, no injuries were
  reported.

8
Cooling Tower Fire Caused By Unsafe Hot Work
Practices

• During welding work at a refinery in Korea, a
  fire broke out in the cooling tower block of the
  power supply plant and spread over the entire
  complex at an incredible speed.

9
Regulatory Background

• Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
  (OSHA)
• Public Employees Risk Reduction Act of 1994
• Public Employees Risk Reduction Program (PERRP)

10
OSHAs and NFPAs Welding, Cutting and Brazing
Standards

• Required basic precautions including
• responsibility for hot work
• protection of personnel
• removing, guarding, or shielding combustibles
• trained and equipped fire watch/es
• designated welding areas
• authorized written hot work permits and
• training and communication.

11
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroductionTAB 1

• Policy Statement
• Forward
• Objective
• Applicability

12
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Responsibilities
• Occupational Safety and Health Specialist
• Fire Safety Officer
• Office of Design and Construction
• Outside Contractors
• Management
• Permit Authorizing Individual (PAI)
• Fire Watch
• Supervisors
• Employees (Hot Work Operators)

13
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Occupational Safety and Health Specialist
  Responsibilities
• coordinating the Hot Work Program
• assisting departments and areas with training
• maintaining copies of the hot work permits and
• updating and evaluating BGSUs Hot Work Program.

14
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Fire Safety Officer Responsibilities
• assisting in determining the suitability of
  designated areas for hot work and
• performing fire extinguisher training.

15
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Office of Design and Construction
  Responsibilities
• advising contractors about flammable materials or
  hazardous conditions of which they may not be
  aware and ensuring that they are familiar with
  the provisions of NFPA 51B and 29 CFR 1910.252
  and
• including hot work as an agenda item in the
  pre-construction meeting, at which time,
  Environmental Health and Safety representatives
  will provide a copy of BGSUs Hot Work Program
  and answer questions.

16
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Outside Contractors Responsibilities
• following the provisions of NFPA 51B and 29 CFR
  1910.252.

17
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Management Responsibilities
• providing employees with adequate training
  including the inherent risks involved, the
  emergency procedures in the event of a fire,
  instructions on all equipment and processes, as
  well as the provisions of this program
• recognizing responsibility for the safe usage of
  cutting and welding equipment on BGSU property
  and ensuring only approved equipment is used

18
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Management Responsibilities cont
• establishing permissible areas for hot work and
  procedures for cutting and welding in other
  areas
• designating a permit authorizing individual (PAI)

19
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Management Responsibilities cont
• advising contractors about flammable materials or
  hazardous conditions of which they may not be
  aware and ensuring that they are familiar with
  the provisions of NFPA 51B and 29 CFR 1910.252
  and
• providing fire extinguishing equipment.

20
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Permit Authorizing Individual Responsibilities
• the safe operation of hot work activities
• inspecting the area before cutting or welding is
  permitted, determining site specific hazards, and
  issuing hot work permits
• ensuring the protection of combustibles from
  ignition sources

21
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Permit Authorizing Individual Responsibilities
  cont
• determining that fire protection and
  extinguishing equipment is properly located at
  the site
• making sure a fire watch is available at the site
  and
• where a fire watch is not required, making a
  final check 30 min. after the completion of hot
  work to detect and extinguish possible smoldering
  fires.

22
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Fire Watch Responsibilities
• being aware of the inherent hazards of the work
  site and of the hot work
• ensure that safe conditions are maintained
• have the authority to stop the hot work if unsafe
  conditions develop

23
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Fire Watch Responsibilities cont
• having fire extinguishing equipment, as well as
  attending required training
• sounding and being familiar with alarm procedures
  in the facilities in the case of an uncontrolled
  fire and
• watching for fires in all exposed areas, during
  hot work operations and for at least 30 min.
  after completion, and trying to extinguish them
  only when they are within the scope of their
  training and equipment.

24
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Supervisor Responsibilities
• attending supervisor training offered by
  Environmental Health and Safety
• ensuring all employees who perform hot work are
  trained on the Hot Work Program and its
  requirements
• safe handling and use of equipment, as well as
  determining any combustible or hazardous areas
  that are present in the work area

25
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Supervisor Responsibilities cont
• protecting combustibles from ignition by having
  the work moved to a location free from
  combustibles, moving combustibles to a safe
  distance, or properly shielding against ignition
• seeing that Hot Work is not scheduled to be
  performed during operations that might expose
  combustibles to ignition

26
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Supervisor Responsibilities cont
• obtaining a hot work permit from the PAI and
  determining that the hot work operator secures
  his approval that conditions are safe before
  performing any hot work
• ensuring that fire protection and extinguishing
  equipment are properly located at the site and
  employees are trained in its use
• making a fire watch available if needed

27
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Supervisor Responsibilities cont
• enforcing BGSUs Hot Work Program by ensuring all
  employees under their direction comply with all
  facets of the Hot Work Program and
• providing a copy of the Hot Work Program to
  employees upon their request.

28
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Employee (Hot Work Operators) Responsibilities
• completely adhering to the requirements of this
  program and attending required training
• understanding the emergency procedures in the
  event of a fire and shall have an awareness of
  the inherent risks involved

29
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Employee (Hot Work Operators) Responsibilities
  cont
• having the PAI's and supervisor's approval before
  starting the hot work operations
• stopping hot work operations and notifying
  management, the area supervisor, or the PAI if an
  unsafe condition occurs and
• sending completed hot work permits to
  Environmental Health and Safety.

30
BGSUs Written Hot Work ProgramIntroduction

• Program Enforcement
• A violation of a University employee's
  responsibility must be reported to the employee's
  immediate supervisor for appropriate action.

31
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Welding Areas

• Designated areas
• a designated fire resistant area or areas made of
  noncombustible construction.
• Permit required areas
• an area that requires a written hot work permit
  and shall be made safe by removing or protecting
  combustibles from ignition sources.

32
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Welding Areas

• Non-permissible welding areas
• areas not authorized by management
• sprinklered buildings while such protection is
  impaired
• in the presence of an explosive atmosphere,
  including improperly prepared drums that once
  contained flammable materials and
• areas near storage of large quantities of
  exposed, readily ignitable materials.

33
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Welding Areas

• Hot work shall not be attempted on
• a partition, wall, ceiling or roof that has a
  combustible covering or insulation, or on walls
  or partitions of combustible sandwich-type panel
  construction and
• pipes or other metal that is in contact with
  combustible walls, partitions, ceilings or roofs
  shall not be done if the work is close enough to
  cause ignition by conduction.

34
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Fire Watch

• Required when
• hot work is performed in an area where other than
  minor fires might develop
• combustible materials in building construction or
  contents are closer than 35 ft (11m) to the point
  of operation
• combustible materials are more than 35 ft (11m)
  away, but are easily ignited by sparks

35
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Fire Watch

• Required when
• wall or floor openings within a 35 ft (11m)
  radius expose combustible materials in adjacent
  areas, including concealed spaces in walls or
  floors or
• combustible materials are adjacent to the
  opposite side of partitions, walls, ceilings, or
  roofs and are likely to be ignited.

36
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Fire Watch

• A fire watch must be maintained for 30 min. after
  completion of hot work.
• More than one fire watch is required when
  combustible material that could be ignited by hot
  work cannot be directly observed by only one fire
  watch.

37
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Hot Work Permit

• A hot work permit
• must be obtained from the PAI for hot work being
  performed in permit required areas
• the PAI must verify that the precautions on the
  permit have been completed before authorizing
  work and at least once per day
• The permit must be displayed at the job site

38
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Hot Work Permit

• A hot work permit
• must be removed and sent to Environmental Health
  and Safety at the end of the shift
• is only good for one shift and
• is located Appendix A of the BGSU Hot Work Permit
  found in Tab 1.

39
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Hot Work Permit

• Located in Tab 2 is an example of the 35 ft (11m)
  rule.
• Located in Tab 3 is an article called Maximizing
  Hot Work Safety with Fabrics.

40
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Training

• Hot Work1 training session (This Session)
• Hot Work2 training session
• the inherent risks involved
• the emergency procedures in the event of a fire
• instructions on all equipment and processes and
• the provisions of this program.

41
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Other Precautions

• Confined Spaces
• To prevent accidental contact, when arc welding
  is to be suspended for any substantial period of
  time, such as during lunch or overnight, all
  electrodes shall be removed from the holders and
  the holders carefully located so that accidental
  contact cannot occur and the machine be
  disconnected from the power source.

42
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Other Precautions

• Confined Spaces cont
• In order to eliminate the possibility of gas
  escaping through leaks or improperly closed
  valves, when gas welding or cutting, the torch
  valves shall be closed and the gas supply to the
  torch positively shut off at some point outside
  the confined space area whenever the torch is not
  to be used for a substantial period of time, such
  as during lunch hour or overnight. Where
  practical, the torch and hose shall also be
  removed from the confined space.

43
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Other Precautions

• Confined Spaces cont
• When welding or cutting is being performed in any
  confined space, the gas cylinders and welding
  machines shall be left on the outside. Before
  operations are started, heavy portable equipment
  mounted on wheels shall be securely blocked to
  prevent accidental movement.

44
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Other Precautions

• Personal Protection
• Must be identified through BGSUs PPE program.
• The following must be practiced for fall
  protection
• A welder working on platforms, scaffolds, or
  runways shall be protected against falling by the
  use of railings, life lines, or some other
  equally effective means.
• Welders shall also place welding cables and other
  equipment so that they are clear of passageways,
  ladders and stairways.

45
BGSUs Written Hot Work Program Appendicies

• A Hot Work Permit
• B Oxygen-Fuel Gas Welding and Cutting
• C Arc Welding and Cutting
• D Resistance Welding

46
Environmental Health and Safety Implementation
Assistance

• Environmental Health and Safety will assist
  departments with
• hot work permit training
• fire extinguisher training and
• determining the suitability of designated hot
  work areas.
• Contact Environmental Health and Safety at
  372-2171 for a department consultation.

47
Summary

• Importance of fire prevention during hot work
  operations
• Regulatory background
• OSHAs welding, cutting, and brazing standard
• NFPAs standard for fire prevention during
  welding, cutting, and other hot work
• BGSUs written Hot Work Program
• Implementation assistance

48
Where to Get More Information

• http//www.osha.gov. Occupational Safety and
  Health Administration.
• http//www.bgsu.edu/offices/envhs/page18435.html
  Bowling Green State Universitys Personal
  Protective Equipment Program.